This invention relates in general to monitoring the usage of components within a computer system. More specifically, the invention discloses an economical apparatus for monitoring the number of times a component has been accessed and the cumulative amount of time that a component has been used.
Many personal computers are sold but then returned for various reasons by the buyers. Many of these computers have never been used. These computers may be resold as new machines. Other computers, however, have been unpacked, powered up and used. This precludes a manufacturer from reselling the computer as a new machine. However, if the computer was only turned on and run for a brief period of time, many of the components may have never been used.
When computers are returned, it would be desirable for there to be a method to determine if certain components in the computer were never used. This would allow the manufacturer to disassemble the computer and place the unused components into a new system that could be sold as new. Furthermore, it may be possible to resell the computer as a new machine. Also, if there were a method or apparatus to determine how much use various components received, an educated decision could be made on whether to reuse the components.
The ability to measure the amount of use certain computer components have received would also be very helpful in the field of service and support. Computer system supervisors or network administrators could evaluate when certain devices were in need of maintenance prior to the device crashing. This could prevent extended periods of downtime on a computer network while it is being repaired.
The computer industry also has many companies that lease computers to other businesses. These leases can be for a certain number of days or several years. A problem that arises for the leasing company when the computers are returned; there is no way to determine how much use the computer received during the lease period. Thus, the computer could be in need of maintenance, yet the leasing company is unaware. A device that measures the amount of use computer components receive could also permit use-based leasing of computer systems.